French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in Channel after British demands
France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.
French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative statements.
French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."
Now, a French naval police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats before they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.
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